What is the maximum number of IP addresses in a Class C subnet?

A Class C subnet utilizes a default subnet mask of 255.255.255.0, which corresponds to a /24 notation. This means that 24 bits are used for the network portion of the address, leaving 8 bits available for host addresses within that subnet.

The number of possible addresses for hosts in a subnet can be calculated using the formula (2^n - 2), where (n) is the number of bits available for hosts. The subtraction of 2 accounts for the network address (the first address in the range) and the broadcast address (the last address in the range), which cannot be assigned to individual hosts.

For a Class C subnet with 8 bits for hosts, the calculation is:

[2^8 - 2 = 256 - 2 = 254]

Thus, there are 254 usable IP addresses in a standard Class C subnet. However, if only counting the total possible addresses without exclusion, there are indeed 256 addresses.

The correct choice reflects this understanding of the class and the computation involved. While 254 is often highlighted as the usable number of IPs, the maximum number of addresses, including the network and broadcast addresses, is 256. Hence, this aligns